I definitely think the three-heart challenge is the way to go for a Zelda hard mode. Particularly in this title where that might mean an OHKO.

Skyward and Wind Waker also upped the ante since their hero mode makes finding hearts impossible on top of double damage.

No matter what though, if you're seeking heart containers, Zelda titles will always be some level odd easy since you got more damage that can easily be soaked up.

Unfortunately, I believe you have to get at least two heart containers in the second and third Light World dungeons due to the Pendants not appearing until you do.

That said, do it on Hero Mode, with only 5 Hearts, no Bottles (this is like the first Zelda game since the aLttP that didn't mandate having at least one bottle; Bottle-less games aside), no Mail, Final Destination, Fox only.

I definitely think the three-heart challenge is the way to go for a Zelda hard mode. Particularly in this title where that might mean an OHKO.

Skyward and Wind Waker also upped the ante since their hero mode makes finding hearts impossible on top of double damage.

No matter what though, if you're seeking heart containers, Zelda titles will always be some level odd easy since you got more damage that can easily be soaked up.

Unfortunately, I believe you have to get at least two heart containers in the second and third Light World dungeons due to the Pendants not appearing until you do.

That said, do it on Hero Mode, with only 5 Hearts, no Bottles (this is like the first Zelda game since the aLttP that didn't mandate having at least one bottle; Bottle-less games aside), no Mail, Final Destination, Fox only.

I definitely think the three-heart challenge is the way to go for a Zelda hard mode. Particularly in this title where that might mean an OHKO.

Skyward and Wind Waker also upped the ante since their hero mode makes finding hearts impossible on top of double damage.

No matter what though, if you're seeking heart containers, Zelda titles will always be some level odd easy since you got more damage that can easily be soaked up.

Unfortunately, I believe you have to get at least two heart containers in the second and third Light World dungeons due to the Pendants not appearing until you do.

That said, do it on Hero Mode, with only 5 Hearts, no Bottles (this is like the first Zelda game since the aLttP that didn't mandate having at least one bottle; Bottle-less games aside), no Mail, Final Destination, Fox only.

I do think it's an easy game, but definitely not the easiest Zelda game. Some of the bosses still killed me. I never died once in The Minish Cap, though. I'd say that one's the easiest LoZ.

I disagree completely. Minish cap had some challenge in regards to gameplay and boss fights, but LBW was quite simple, especially with upgraded weapons and the special spin attack HOLY CRAP that is overpowered as all fuck. I beat treacherous tower in 7 minutes just using that and the lantern.

The only challenge in MC's boss battles was getting your little LinkBros to line up right on that Manta Ray thing, otherwise I don't see how any of the other bosses could be considered harder than LBW's. But we'll just have to agree to disagree. ^_^;

Most of the bosses were pretty obvious strategy-wise, and stocking up on fairies and having the tunic and sword upgrades made them a cakewalk, but I still think they hit me more. Moldorm's still a pain in the butt years later, the giant hand kept getting me because of the collapsing floors, and he and sword-an-shield guy gave me trouble because I kept forgetting that hiding in the wall was an option. XD

The only challenge in MC's boss battles was getting your little LinkBros to line up right on that Manta Ray thing, otherwise I don't see how any of the other bosses could be considered harder than LBW's. But we'll just have to agree to disagree. ^_^;

Most of the bosses were pretty obvious strategy-wise, and stocking up on fairies and having the tunic and sword upgrades made them a cakewalk, but I still think they hit me more. Moldorm's still a pain in the butt years later, the giant hand kept getting me because of the collapsing floors, and he and sword-an-shield guy gave me trouble because I kept forgetting that hiding in the wall was an option. XD

The only difficult boss from MC was the final boss since you had to go through like a five step program to even hurt the guy by lining up your Links to hit the right eyes, shoot the eyes in the hands with arrows, minish into the base of the arms and destroy their core, then take the now severed arms and throw them at the boss, and finally wail on the boss directly.

The problem with aLBW's bosses is that their damage output got nerfed for the most part (they basically hit like regular enemies most of the time). Which made the difference between Regular Mode and Hero Mode the difference between wanting your basic enemies to be as strong in this game as in aLttP at the expense of weaker bosses, or do you want your bosses as strong as they were in aLttP at the expense of having everything be able to one or two-shot you.

That said, a lot of the returning boss patterns did get nerfed.

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Especially Blind's (who got a cool gimmick out of it at least, but loses two of his heads, his fireball spam, and his eye beams), Ganon (or do we call him Yugadorf, or it Hilgadorf?, either way his firebats aren't nearly as threatening since they're smaller, aren't as fast, and their pattern is easier to identify and dodge, plus you don't have to deal with Yugadorf while dodging them), Trinexx (or Mononexx given his only having one neck instead of three), and Yuga (who's a poor man's substitute for Agahmin, especially since his signature move got requisitioned for Hilgadorf's final phase, leaving just the Lightning which isn't nearly as threatening due to a much smaller AoE, and his shadow clones which only spawn Green mooks if you get it wrong, and he wont act until you defeat said mook).

Plus, they replaced Mothula outright (who admittedly was pretty damn goofy difficulty-wise given the conveyor belt floor, the spike traps along the wall, that eventually move about, and of course, the boss himself) with a hand with an easy-to-discern pattern.